


The lies we tell

by vividdaydreams



Category: Red vs. Blue
Genre: Everyone Is Alive, How Do I Tag, Introspection, POV Third Person, Project Freelancer, The Author Regrets Everything, The Author Regrets Nothing
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-08-18
Updated: 2019-04-01
Packaged: 2019-06-28 23:10:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 2,611
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15717012
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/vividdaydreams/pseuds/vividdaydreams
Summary: Prompt based fic, name a lie you've had to tell yourself, and why you do it.A look at project freelancers best as well as their A.I.'s.





	1. Agent North Dakota

                             

No matter what happens, family always comes first. That was what he'd recite to himself, his creed. To always be back-up, support, protector, guardian, and brother. Not a single day went by where he didn't know she'd have his back, the same way he would always have hers. They were twins, nothing would change that, not friends or anything else. 

Though he had to admit since getting Theta.... No, since joining project freelancer, there was a shift in South. Little things that she'd do that would make him stop and think, that would settle in the back of his mind. South was always more. More energy than she knew what to do with, more opinionated, more pride than she knew how to handle. If she had a bit less pride she wouldn't get into half the trouble she did, or do stupid shit to show she could handle herself.

For some reason beyond his comprehension, that need to prove herself only got worse since being here. Having the leaderboard to show her sliding slowly downwards, or that she didn't have the skills to be on top like Tex, or Carolina, or hell even Washington just made her more prone to rage. Some days she was normal, just her rude sarcastic self. Other days she would belligerent and spiteful to anyone in her way, even him.

He would always brush it off as his twin having a temper tantrum. Maybe she was really over stressed and anxious, overworked from whatever missions they gave her that he wouldn't be apart of. He kept repeating these thoughts, thinking them made it all fit together nicely.

But at night, when it was calm and quiet, when Theta wasn't scared and just nervous energy that transferred to him it would sneak up on him. The denial of her behaviors were red flags, and he was pretending they weren't exactly that because that would mean the worst for him. That South didn't have his back anymore, maybe hadn't had it since he'd been given Theta.

Thinking on that he knew she was angry that he'd gotten an A.I. without her. Maybe jealous, after all she believed that was the only way everyone stayed on top of the board, and if she had her own then she'd definitely be on top as well. But no, Wash didn't have an A.I. yet either. 

Maybe it was his own fault, for not seeming to be there when she needed him. Since getting Theta it was a constant need to help the little guy succeed. He was just a scared, nervous, little ball of energy with nothing but second guesses at every turn. He naturally worked with Theta day in and day out getting him to be a confident, inquisitive, funny kid.

South didn't seem like she needed as much of his time like Theta did. She complained he hovered, while Theta tended to cling to him. Maybe she resented him for that connection.

But when the new day begins he dismisses those thoughts. He and South were twins, they would never betray one another. That was the way it was, and he'd tell himself that everyday until the day he died.

 

 


	2. South Dakota

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> South's turn. Sorry about the long update wait.

Why was it always so hard to get some damn recognition. She knew she had the strength, she had the skills, and yet just one tiny insignificant slip up and that made her one of the worst. It was frustrating, always having North covering for her like she was a child, she didn't need his help. 

If anything freelancer was showing her how soft she'd gone. South could remember being a child and picking fights with anyone in the neighborhood and coming out on top. It didn't matter if they were bigger, or stronger, or if they played dirty. She could too, and she was willing to do whatever it took to be on top.

But things only got worse. No matter what she did, she was always skidding down the rankings. She was falling behind useless Washington, and wasn't that just the biggest fucking fail. Everything she could have delt with since she knew North always had her back.

But.....

North had an A.I. now. They both failed the mission but only her ranking fell. It wasn't fair, North and that stupid program were just as at fault as she was. But since she didnt have an A.I. she was the only one to get demoted. North didn't even deserve it. He was always too soft, always needed to have someone to lean on amd take care of. 

Suddenly it was like she didn't even exist, all that mattered where A.I.'s, and Tex, and fucking Carolina. Who was so full of herself she turned down her A.I. and gave it to Maine out of pity. South could have put it to much better use.

It was like everything turned against her. She watched days pass, and reminded herself that she was on her own. She'd make it, despite everyone. Damn Carolina amd the others. She'd be at the top, no matter how much blood it cost.....even if it cost her North. Because at the end of the day it was everyone for themselves, and if they fell in a fight and died, that wasnt her fault.

It wasn't her fault if they weren't strong enough.


	3. Theta

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A look into Theta and his time with North.

The first things Theta could recall were overwhelming fear and confusion. Fear of where he was, of the people around him, and something he couldn't quite pinpoint. Like a nightmare you don't really remember, but you know something terrible happened and it still makes you cry. Being confused because he couldn't recall anything before now, which fed into the fear he couldn't name.

These people bounced him around from one place to another, always asking questions but never answering his. That scared him even more, because he answered to the best of his abilities and was only rewarded with half answers and shallow assurances. 

After all that they gave him to a complete stranger. Theta had never met 'Agent North Dakota', he didn't know anything about him and now they were going to be partners and North would be keeping him. What if he didn't like him, or decided Theta wasn't what he wanted. Maybe he already had a partner.

But meeting North, being integrated into his neural implant, was suddenly not so scary. North was very....calm.

 Theta was always afraid, of any and everything. But with North, that fear diminished a little. Simple things like meeting new people scared Theta terribly, but North would be warm and encouraging. If Theta really was against something North never pushed, he'd give Theta time to work through whatever held him back. With gentle words of encouragement and seemingly infinite understanding.

At night, when everything was dark and life seemed to disappear, North would walk around the base softly talking to Theta about trivial things. How Wash got stuck to the training room wall with paralyzing paint by Carolina or new pickup lines York was running by North, those sorts of things were quietly echoing the empty hallways during their late night walks.

North kept his fears at bay with hardly a thought. Never asking more than he thought Theta was capable of. As North slept, Theta kept himself company, running some simulations with his new skateboard so he could show North his improvement in the morning. 

Theta knew with certainty he adored North. He was Theta's light, chasing away the nightmares and shadows that dogged him at every turn. But with that adoration came a whole new, and more terrifying thought.

What if he lost North?

As the days went on, Theta began to feel at ease again. Missions came and went, with North hardly worse for wear. Seeing North smile and laugh with York and Wash, Theta pushed the thought away. They had missions to focus on, and North needed him at his best.

 

After all, North was always going to be there.


	4. Agent Texas

At the end of the day, the only thing you can rely on is your own strength. If there's one thing life's ever taught her, its that the only way to get results is to do things yourself. Other people getting involved just makes things messy, and then you get involved in their drama and no thanks.

Tex loved meeting new people, loved beating the shit out of them too if she got the chance. New people ment new challenges and learning new ways to handle a situation, new ways of getting to the end goal. So if she enjoyed it a bit...well they always said do a job you enjoy right?

Meeting the freelancer team was....something. Sure they were good, but to say 'team' was a stretch. Some red flags went up on certain members so she'd definatly keep an eye on them, and some of the A.I were as suspect as Omega. The rotten little bastard made her twitchy in all the worst ways, and with that creep counselor stalking the halls she was even less inclined to mingle with any of them.

She was informed that the Director was planning on sending her into the field soon, and she was ready. Ready to show this  _team_ what it really ment to be a soldier, to show them what it really took to get a job done. 

She'd go in solo and be gone before anyone even knew what happened. All on her own, no one to slow her down. 

No one to potentially say good bye to. 


	5. Agent York

Watching her in the training room was magic. Knowing that she could -and definatly  _would_ -  train for hours on end for reasons that only made sense in her pretty little red head, didn't mean I couldn't appreciate the....aesthetics of Carolina working out her current aggravations.

As long as it wasn't me she was taking them out on. Bad enough that she gives me back sass everytime she opens her mouth, can't say I'm up to getting my ass kicked too. Well....maybe. If its her.

Delta giving me stats for her off handedly isn't really helping me focus on her, but then again its hard enough doing that on a good day with just one eye now. Thinking on that, and watching her punch some of the targets, reminds me of joking about getting an eye patch and how sexy it would be. Wasn't so sexy when she decked me. Even more so with how upset the joking made her. 

People think she's cold and heartless, but if they _really_ knew her like I do, they'd see she's got passion. Passion for the mission, for her team, for the work we do. So much emotion that she just doesn't know what to do with it all. I'd tell her to direct some of that passion my way but...I like how handsom my face is and I'd hate to risk it.

I just hope.....that she knows I'm here. I'm here for her no matter what the missions are, or where we get sent, or how long the time stretch is between seeing each other on separate ops. That she knows I love that fiery personality, that sarcastic wit, the way she stands tall even when she's breaking apart.

Dee doesn't really understand the emotion too well. For him its all statistics and profiling. To Dee, Carolina and I are radically different personalities that didn't meld well, but for whatever reasons we constantly gravitate to one another. 

Which I totally understand, dont get me wrong. She's all angry, dangerous, with line em up and knock em down mentality. I'm just that cool, suave, mellowed out guy that everyone wants to be. But opposites attract and for me and Lina there's a connection. Now, if she'd just let go, things could really get moving.

But...she's not the best at it. She gets hurt and holds on to that hurt.  Its not healthy and its not her. But we'll work on it, her and I. 

Cause I know there's a time for us, someday.


	6. Agent Carolina

Losing at anything sucks. Losing to someone who you absolutely loathe is even worse. Hey you did you best, you tried. Maybe next time. 

But no, the next time isn't something to look forward to. If you've lost once, it sets an expectation. In this program it takes just one screw up, and you'll be knocked to the bottom of the heap. I train relentlessly day in and day out, pushing myself to my very limits to be the best I can be for my team.

I refuse to lose anyone on this team. I refuse to lose these people I call family. If I can take an extra hit or fall for even one of them, I will without hesitation. I already failed Maine, giving up Sigma was the least I could do for him. 

But the constant strain, all the training, all the responsibility was crushing. I felt like a terrible leader. We hardly talked anymore to one another or as a group, I felt disconnected from everyone, and.....and York. Even with how I've been acting, he still manages to make me feel like less of a failure. 

He tells me to ease off the training. That I'm already pretty good, and I'm not doing amything productive, I'm just wearing myself down to nothing.

But 'pretty good' isnt good enough for me. I want to be great.  I want to be the best.

Ill be stong enough to keep us all together.


	7. Delta

Delta prefered to stick to real things. Facts and figures that he could analyze, predict, and minimize on unknown factors. York was a walking enigma made up of contradictions that Delta was constantly analyzing. Why did he respond this way to Washington and another to North? Why does Carolina catch his eye but not Connecticut?

While initially Delta didn't enjoy York's joking and banter when asked to explain these things, he found himself learning to expect them, gradually even learning to enjoy the humor York often presented.

The longer they stayed partnered up, Delta was beginning to understand some of the emotional spectrum that York, and even a few other freelancers, operated under. He began to understand why it bothered York when Washington had gotten injured over much when paired with the twins. Or why it was easier to speak to Agent North about himself in regards to A.I. care than Agent Maine. Even coming to understand why York and Agent Carolina found the other to be a perspective lover, despite serious personality traits that were not compatible. 

Delta could say, objectively, that he had come to truly enjoy York's company. He had found his own particular brand of humor, however bland it was, and felt elated at York's praise at becoming him own person, so to speak. Where logic made the world black and white, York made it brighter. He didn't treat Delta as a thing or program. Delta.....appreciated that sentiment. Greatly. 

But they always had disagreements on protocol. As mentioned, the world was black and white, orders and non-orders, rules and regulations. These were things Delta couldn't change, and were to be heeded. Yorks response would always be, 'Rules were ment to be broken D' or 'If the director asked you to launch me out of a landing bay with no armor would you do it?'. York understood rules but did not take them to heart. He didn't have a real grasp behind their meaning.

Orders are orders. They wouldn't order them without a good reason.

**Author's Note:**

> First fic out there, please be gentle with my easily bruised and already fractured confidence you lovely people!


End file.
